Build your professional skillset with upcoming classes and workshops
If you’ve been wanting to level up your professional skills, there’s no better time than today to get started! UCOP Learning and Development has organized a variety of professional development opportunities — all available at no charge to you.
Select each course name to register; listings reflect Pacific Time. Unless otherwise stated, all courses are virtual.
Personal and professional growth
Reflective Listening
Jan. 31, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Reflective listening is a necessary skill for today’s workplace and the key to better communication and better workplace performance. People have a fundamental need to feel heard and understood. Addressing this need helps to more easily solve or avert problems while growing trust and psychological safety. Learn the fundamentals of reflective listening so you can start practicing today.
Accomplishing More with Less Stress
Feb. 4, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
This workshop deals with today’s most pressing issues in the workplace, giving you the tools and guidance you need to make breakthroughs in time management; respond to instead of reacting to your work environment; and establish sustainable practices to manage information and task overload. We’ll cover time, priority and interruptions management; calendaring and to-do lists; document organization; and tips for feeling invigorated and re-energized in the workplace and elsewhere.
Mindfulness at UCOP
Feb. 21, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Less stress, enhanced awareness and focus and better health are some of the benefits shown in research studies on mindfulness. In this workshop, you’ll learn to reduce stress and increase your effectiveness at work through simple mindfulness techniques.
Design Thinking to Focus, Collaborate and Play
Feb. 25, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Design thinking helps build our ability to think creatively and work collaboratively to solve significant problems. If you’ve been curious about design thinking, this hands-on workshop is for you! Get an overview of the design-thinking process and leave with key concepts and techniques that you can apply right away. Key takeaways include understanding how to apply design-thinking practices to co-create innovative solutions with stakeholders, strategies for addressing workplace interruptions, and tips and techniques for collaborating and problem-solving in the workplace and beyond.
Subtle Acts of Exclusion
Feb. 26, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
The term “microaggression” is widely used, yet widely misunderstood. Join us as we reframe microaggressions as subtle acts of exclusion (SAE). Explore the SAE framework and participate in group dialogue on how to normalize interrupting these acts and engage colleagues in discussion. We’ll reflect on socialization and its impact on our outlook, attitudes and behaviors; discuss the language shift from microaggressions to SAEs; explore the SAE framework; and learn to interrupt SAEs.
Project management
UCOP Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification
Oakland, Franklin Lobby 1: Feb. 13, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
This dynamic, interactive training program is designed specifically for UCOP staff. Through a hands-on group simulation, you’ll explore essential process improvement concepts and methodologies that can be directly applied to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in your daily work. Join us for an immersive learning experience using the Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) model; lessons on the practical application of value stream mapping, Lean 5S, and data analysis tools; and the real-time implementation of Lean Six Sigma concepts.
This course will also be offered April 30, June 5 and August 7.
Safety
UCOP Safety: Basic Awareness
Feb. 13, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Melissa Collins, program manager for security, risk and resilience, will share basic safety tips to help you feel informed, alert and safe as you travel to and from work.
UCOP Safety: Active Attacker Training
Feb. 19, 1 – 2 p.m.
Melissa Collins will teach skills and strategies for responding to an active-attacker situation. During this workshop, we’ll review real-life incidents and discuss options for responding to a similar encounter.
Software and technology
Excel: Intro to Data Analysis
Feb. 5 & Feb. 12, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
This two-session course will teach you how to use built-in Excel tools to mine and analyze answers hidden in data records, allowing you to make key decisions. We’ll cover analyzing data in lists and tables, summary-based IF functions, chart tools and building and working with pivot tables and pivot charts.
Box Advanced
Feb. 18, 10 – 11 a.m.
In this advanced Box class, we’ll cover a variety of advanced topics, including setting alerts to monitor folders, using Box groups to manage department collaborations, sensitive data storage and transferring data through email or hyperlinks.
STEP – All employees
UCOP STEP: Setting Goals and Competencies
Feb. 12, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
In this instructor-led training on the Staff Talent Evaluation Process (STEP), we will expand on the materials presented in the STEP Fundamentals for Employees eCourse by going into detail on the first stage of STEP, Define Criteria. You will practice writing goals and review how to align them to the UCOP Competencies. This course is designed to support new employees and employees who would like a refresher to elevate their STEP goals.
People managers
GROW Plus: Accountability Conversations for Managers
Jan. 28 or Feb. 28, 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
This is the second part of the required live training series on manager and employee performance conversations. In this virtual, live, and highly interactive workshop, we’ll focus on the question: What do I do when my coaching is not improving performance? Topics include providing productive critical feedback, managing emotions, creating efficient documentation and holding effective accountability conversations. You’ll also practice having role accountability conversations using the UCOP GROW Plus framework. Previous STEP trainings are all prerequisites to this session.
People Leader Forum: Promotion Process
Feb. 7, 1 – 2 p.m.
Monthly People Leader Forums are an opportunity for people managers to connect with one another to develop leadership skills, build community, share best practices, swap strategies for navigating current challenges and learn to better support themselves and their teams. In our Feb. 7 session, UCOP Compensation Manager JJ Lerma will explain the promotion process.
GROWing Your Check-In Conversations for Managers
Feb. 14, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
GROW is a popular coaching framework used around the world for problem-solving, goal-setting and performance improvement. This interactive session will provide managers with an opportunity to discuss and practice using the GROW framework as a strategy and tool to support engaging STEP Check-in conversations. You must take the e-course “GROWing your Check-in Conversations” prior to this class.
LinkedIn Learning for Managers
Feb. 27, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
As a UCOP manager or supervisor, LinkedIn Learning has tools and features to make assigning and tracking team learning easy! Learn to use LinkedIn Learning as a professional learning tool for your team.
For questions on the above courses, visit ucopld@ucop.edu.
Tags: classes and workshops, February classes, professional development